The Mets nearly pulled off a comeback in the ninth inning on Opening Day against the Astros. Down three runs, they started chipping away against closer Josh Hader. Starling Marte led off with a single, followed by another base hit from Tyrone Taylor. Then Luisangel Acuña came to the plate and battled through a tough at-bat, fouling off multiple pitches before drawing a walk to load the bases. Hader had to grind, and the Mets lineup gave him no easy outs.
Francisco Lindor stepped up next with one out and drove in a run with a fly ball, making it a two-run game, two outs, and the tying runs still on base. That brought Juan Soto to the plate, a hitter with a strong history against Hader. The matchup felt familiar, with Soto having walked off Hader in the past. Hader opened with a mix of sliders and fastballs, falling behind in the count. At 3-1, he challenged Soto with a heater, the same pitch Soto had crushed in past big moments. This time, Soto let it go. On the next pitch, Hader went back to the slider and froze him. Strike three. Ballgame.
Hader finished the job but had to work harder than he wanted. The Mets showed fight, chased Hader’s fastball well when it mattered, and forced him into long at-bats. It didn’t end in a miracle comeback, but it was a high-drama finish to kick off the season.